In the past I have had some good luck fishing docks in the winter at low tide, or 30 min each side of low. I am curious what techniques are recommended for targeting fish on high tides in the winter?
Just looking to throw some minnows or soft plastics for trout and reds from my paddleboard. All tips appeciated!
You are a brave fellow to go out this time of year on a paddle board…
17’ Mako
16’ Alumacraft
My go to tactic for high tide reds in the winter is to crack a beer and watch Addictive Fishing until low tide comes around.
Seriously, I’ve read they stay close to where you find them at low tide. I’ve also seen them up on shallow mudflats at the back of tidal creeks…also main channel points with rocks and docks. Or up in the grass behind shell lined flats off main channels.
Thanks Epres,
My paddleboard is rigged with a cooler that I sit on and rod holders as well as a small grappling anchor so it is pretty stable. It’s also 12’6". I’ll get around to posting a picture at some point. My work schedule limits my fishing time so I want to be competent at fishing all levels of a tide cycle.
My general thought is that a carolina rigged minnow would work better on higher tide, since you need the weight to take the bait to the bottom? Does a popping cork/doa shrimp stay too high in the water column?
SUP, when fishing the high tide, it definitely makes fishing for reds more difficult but definitely not impossible. You can throw a c-rig with minnow or better, cut mullet around docks. Also, look for the little indentations along grass lines along current. Reds will set up in those pockets and pick off bait as it washes by. As the tide comes up, fish on top of/along the side of oyster mounds. I would not recommend using c-rigs on top of the oysters, but a popping cork with a shallow leader will work. When using a popping cork, you can fish all tide cycles with one, you just need to make adjustments to your leader length based on the depth of water you’re fishing. Winter fishing, especially with how cold our water is right now, will require a VERY slow retrieve with lures. I personally would use cut mullet so they can find your bait or artificials/soft plastics. Cast out and barely turn your handle to SLOWLY drag your lure across the bottom. I can’t stress enough how slow you need to work the lure in cold water. Good luck and I hope you are wearing a wet suit and at a minimum a life jacket while fishing from a paddleboard in this water. It would only take a couple minutes for you to become hypothermic and drown if an accident were to occur. Please where your PFD.
Capt. Jeremiah
Southern Slam Fishing Charters
Pioneer 197 Sportfish
I’ve had success with high tide mud flats with no grass. The fish lay up on those for the same reason they are on the low tide flats. I have poled up on some where once you arrive there may be a dozen or 2 dz fish basking in the sun. Then do what Firefighter 80 says:
“Winter fishing, especially with how cold our water is right now, will require a VERY slow retrieve with lures. I personally would use cut mullet so they can find your bait or artificials/soft plastics. Cast out and barely turn your handle to SLOWLY drag your lure across the bottom. I can’t stress enough how slow you need to work the lure in cold water.”
The good part is when once you get up on those grassless flats the water is so clear you’ll immediately know if they are there or not. Fun times, go for it.
If it’s trout I’m targeting at high tide, I’ll troll a grub very slowly right along the edge of the grass. Works fine in a motorized vessel and also with my kayak so I imagine it would work with your SUP. That way you would be moving too, which is probably a good idea as cold as it is.
If you go at sunrise or late evening try topwater.
Narcosis